Papers presented at an international conference on Aśoka and the making of modern India, held at New Delhi during 5-7 August 2009.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [409]-448).

Table of Contents:
Preface;
Introduction by Patrick Olivelle, Janice Leoshko, and Himanshu Prabha Ray;
PROLEGOMENA;
1: Asoka: A Retrospective by Romila Thapar;
2: The Language of Composition and Transmission of the Asokan Inscriptions by R.K. Norman;
PART I: EMERGENCE OF ASOKAN STUDIES;
3: Archaeology and Asoka: Defining the Empire by Himanshu Prabha Ray;
4: From Kautilya to Kosambi and Beyond by Shailendra Bhandare;
5: Bhagwanlal Indraj's Pioneering Contribution to Asokan Studies by Virchand Dharamsey;
PART II: ASOKA AND HIS TIMES;
6: Asoka's Inscriptions as Text and Ideology by Patrick Olivelle;
7: The Composition of Asoka's Pillar Edict Series by Herman Tieken;
8: Linguistic Experiments: Language and Identity in Asokan Inscriptions and Early Buddhist Texts by Oskar von Hinüber;
9: The Fate of Asoka's Donations at Lumbini by Harry Falk;
10: The Yona Era and the End of the Maurya Dynasty: Is There a Connection? by Richard Salomon;
11: Mauryan Pillars of the Middle Ganga Plain in the Light of Archaeological Discoveries of Sarnath-Varanasi and Chunar by Vidhula Jayaswal;
12: Environmental Change in North Bengal: An Opportunity for the Mauryas by Jean-François Salles;
13: Is the Arthasastra a Mauryan Document? by Mark McClish;
14: Asoka the Greek, Converted and Translated by Grant Parker;
PART III: ASOKA REIMAGINED;
15: Asoka and Museums by Janice Leoshko;
16: The Commingling of Gods and Human, the Unveiling of the World, and the Descent from Trayastrimsa Heaven: An Exegetical Exploration of the Connections of Minor Rock Edict I to Buddhist Legendary Literature by John Strong;
17: Asoka: Model Ruler without Name? Literature of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia by Max Deeg;
18: On the Asoka-type Buddha Images Found in China by Chongfeng Li;
19: Asoka: Historical Discourse and the Post-colonial Indian State by Bhagavan Josh;
Notes on Contributors.